


Lost And Found

by lwielaura



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Avengers, Drunk Bucky Barnes, Drunk Steve, Fluff, Get Together, M/M, Pining Steve, Team Bonding, english isn't my first language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-16 23:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5844340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lwielaura/pseuds/lwielaura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Fine” he grunted, chugging his drink and pouring in a new whiskey, before he laid back again, seemingly avoiding anyone’s eyes. It was probably the alcohol that loosened his tongue.<br/>“I had like the biggest fucking crush on Steve in High School, even before he got so huge and muscular. It was so embarrassing and I never told him.” He laughed it off, shrugged and straightened up again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost And Found

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thepaperdemon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepaperdemon/gifts).



> birthday fic for someone special, including the prompts: domestic, fluff, electric fish and drunken idiots

After all, he should have known that his life would change drastically after that phone call months ago. He knew it the moment he picked up and heard the familiar sound of Tony’s voice through the speaker, which wasn’t that unusual since they were both part of a superhero team, it was more the sound of his voice that may irritated him briefly.  
“Hey Cap, how is it hanging?”  
“How is what hanging?” he replied promptly, still confused about both the absurdity of the question and the hint of tension in the other man’s voice. A little pause interrupted their conversation, followed by a small sigh, then some distant muttering, before he heard Tony clearly on the other end again. “Never mind. I was just wondering, Pepper had the idea” – some muffled noises again – “ok, so Pepper and I had the idea that… you know… The Stark Tower is big enough and I think we need a kind of base to arrange stuff and also, your apartment is awfully small and you’ve got a terrible taste in design so I just wanted to offer that you – Bruce, Clint and Natasha already agreed – can come and move in anytime you want to.”  
“Huh?” was his very insightful answer. He didn’t expect something like that at all ever, especially not from Tony, because after all they had a rough start and although their differences were more or less solved and the group developed into a more or less functioning team, he still didn’t expect an invitation to actually move with them – it frankly never crossed his mind before. But still…  
“It’s just an offer, just to let you know. If you feel better about it, we can hiss the American flag on top of it and I’ll make sure JARVIS sets your alarm tone to “Stars and Stripes forever”, just think it over, ok?”  
“No, no need to think it over, actually. I was considering moving into a bigger apartment anyway, so uhm… thank you, Tony.”  
Again, silence followed. Then, after a brief moment: “You’re welcome, I guess. I’ll make sure someone will help you with your stuff. See you later, Capsicle.”  
“Sure. Thanks. Bye, then.”  
“Oh, Steve, just one second.”  
“Hm?”  
“Tell Bucky he can come, as well. You know, when he’s done.”  
Before he could answer the line was dead.  
If he was surprised before that, he didn’t know how he felt now.  
He knew that the others knew about him and that they also knew that he found him just a few weeks after the incident of him suddenly reappearing. What they didn’t know, or more likely, what they shouldn’t know, was the fact that Bucky was on his way back to become his Bucky again, after a month long struggle and fight he finally gained his mind back, his charisma, his memories and Steve got his best friend back, a fossil from his very own time, a piece of home.  
He should have told them, but he was afraid that they wouldn’t understand, that they would try to take away what made him feel complete again for the first time since he woke up in a completely new century and although he almost felt like betraying them, he just couldn’t bring it over him to risk it because, if he was really honest to himself, he didn’t know how he could handle losing him again, feeling that pain again, the same he felt when he saw him falling down into certain death, sure that he lost him. And he was willing to risk it, to risk the disproval of his team, the disproval of Nick and the disproval of the whole organization just to see that look appearing on the familiar face again, the same glance he was used to from, what it felt like, a completely different life, these grey eyes, within the warmth and a lot of feelings he could never handle but that made him feel good to be himself for the first time in his life, even back then when he was the skinny artist boy from Brooklyn, he never gave him the feeling to be less than valuable and his best friend and god, how he had missed that.  
But Stark wouldn’t be Stark if he didn’t hack into the S.H.I.E.L.D. files every other day just to annoy the heck out of Fury and he probably stumbled over some information regarding this. And nevertheless, he didn’t seem mad. He asked him, asked them, to move in with him.  
A smile crept on his face. This time he wouldn’t screw thing up. This time he would protect him; everything would be different, wouldn’t it?

So he moved in, alone for the beginning. Steve and Fury argued heavier than ever before but the director didn’t trust Bucky as far as he could throw him and that made Steve mad, because hell, it was James, not a darn Hydra agent, until they eventually agreed on releasing him in a few weeks, strictly observed by Fury’s one remaining eye and under the condition that Steve wouldn’t leave him alone for one second – not that that was a problem. Not at all, quite frankly. They spent their entire early lives together and after all he couldn’t remember spending one day without him until they joined the army.  
When he proposed his plans to Bucky, he smiled. Like a real, familiar, genuine smile and his face lightened up in a way that made him so much younger and so much more like his past self that Steve could feel his heart beating wildly and he had to clench his jaw to hold back that ridiculous smile that threatened to spread on his face, even now, days after that incident, when he was in the communal living room, watching trash TV and doing nothing. Everything seemed so easy right now that he almost felt the need to be suspicious.  
“What is this with you and these trash movies?” a voice behind him appeared and he jumped a bit, almost felt caught, but he was pretty sure that Clint couldn’t read his mind after all and he was astonishingly thankful for that in this exact moment.  
“You always tell me to keep up with the modern culture, so don’t judge me.” He replied easily.  
“Don’t call this junk culture, Cap. We definitely had something else in mind. Can’t you just listen to Nirvana instead of infecting the whole living room with this crap? Like, there are other people living in this house, have regards for us, for fuck’s sake.”  
“I tried Nirvana once, is that even music?”  
“Is that even – god, Steve, don’t let Tony hear that.”  
“Don’t let Tony hear what?” another voice suddenly appeared and Tony entered the room, followed by two grumpy looking men carrying something obviously heavy into the Tower.  
“Just install it in the floor that way. Thank you very much.” He ordered and handed the first one some green papers and Steve probably didn’t want to know how much he tipped them by the immediate delight on the man’s face.  
“Cap doesn’t like Nirvana.”  
“What did the ice do to your ears?”  
“They are working fine, thank you very much. It’s just… really weird. That guy isn’t actually singing and the texts are really confusing?”  
Clint made a sound that appeared to be both desperate and amused and Tony just threw a pillow at him. “Move out!”  
“We need him, he’s our moral compass.”  
“Bruce will do.”  
“Brucie-bear is up in his room with our very own favourite assassin, so moral my ass.”  
“Huh, you’re right. Steve, you can stay but I will make JARVIS wake you up with “Smells Like Teen Spirit” every day.”  
“May I remind you that Mister Rogers here has the authority to change it back whenever he wants, Sir?” a sudden formless voice sounded and made Steve jump again, because gosh, he definitely needed his time to get used to that.  
“Whatever, now my own AI is turning against me, thanks, J.”  
“My pleasure.”  
“You’re robot is sassing you, send him to his room.” Clint shrugged and made Steve laugh.  
“Shut up, Birdbrain. Anyway, when will the one-armed bandit join our gang?”  
“Oh, right. So Fury told me he will be released in two weeks, so he’ll move in then.”  
“Two weeks?” Tony yelled and choked on his freshly poured scotch.  
“Yeah, is it a big deal? I mean, we can still rearrange and…”  
“No, just… Hell, Steve, two weeks is an awfully short time to arrange a fucking party.”  
“What, what party are you talking about?”  
“A party, Steve” Clint joined and nodded excitedly.  
“A welcome party.” Tony added, nodding not less excitedly.  
“I don’t think it’s necessary to…”  
“Parties are always necessary. I’ll make a few calls later, just let the grown-ups handle things.”  
“I’m 97 years old, Stark.”  
“And it seems like you’ve never been to a good party in all this time, Rogers.”  
“Whatever, just don’t make a big deal about it, ok? Things are still a bit…”  
He was interrupted by the re-entrance of the two men in uniform, telling Tony “It’s done” before exiting the room.  
“What was that about, anyway?” Clint asked.  
“Well, I ordered something.”  
“What? Does Pepper know about it? You know she’ll be mad if it’s unnecessary and expensive and I don’t think I can handle such a negative environment right now. I hardly sleep at night since Tasha and Bruce are having a thing. Why did I have to get the room right next to them, Tony? Why do you hate me?”  
“I don’t hate you, you ate my leftover pizza and karma is a bitch. Also, she will be mad but hell, who doesn’t like good make-up sex, right?”  
Steve felt a blush creeping on his face and tried to see what Tony bought and put in the floor in order to hide it.  
“Is that an aquarium?” he asked irritated as he saw a flash of blue shimmery light.  
“Yep.”  
“What do you need an aquarium for?” Clint asked and they moved into the hallway to look at the giant glass box that was let into the wall leading the stairs.  
“I don’t”  
“Fair enough.”  
Steve was stunned looking at all the fish swimming in the clear blue water, sometimes bumping into each other, some of them curiously touching the glass before disappearing quickly.  
“But Tony. How do you feed them? I mean, it’s literally in the stairs”  
Tony gave him a strange look and clearing his throat.  
“Cap, they’re not real. It’s just a decoration.”  
“What do you mean, they aren’t real? But… they are swimming, look.”  
The older man rolled his eyes so far that they seem to disappear into his head while Clint didn’t even try to hold back a laugh.  
“Seriously? I mean, you’re basically living with a bunch of superheroes in a high tech house and I’ve got a fucking flying suit and you are stunned by electric fish?”  
“They are electric? But look at them, they are swimming. It looks so real. And if they’re electric and in the water, isn’t that dangerous? They might die.”  
“Are you shitting me? Ok, I’m done. Have fun with the fake fish, I’ve got a date with Pepper and need to arrange a party.” And he disappeared. In this moment Bruce walked down the stairs, making the impression of a man who definitely wanted to avoid the impression that he just had sex and failed miserably.  
“Merry fucking Christmas to me, I’ll take a nap as long as I can.” Clint shouted and he ran up to his room, disappearing as well.  
Steve ignored the blush on Bruce’s face, both because he was polite and because one of the fish just tapped the glass. 

Two days left until Bucky would finally move in with them and Steve couldn’t help but become more and more nervous about the whole situation. He felt like introducing his boyfriend to his parents. Would they like him? Would they get along? Because, although Bucky wasn’t his boyfriend (he cleared his throat awkwardly as this though occurred his mind although he had no idea why he had that sudden urge) the Avengers became a family to him and somehow it was really important for him that they would get along.  
But he also grew more and more suspicious, seeing Tony phoning a bunch of people what it seemed, arranging this and that and he had absolutely no idea what was going on.  
“I thought we agreed to keep it small?” he asked one day and couldn’t help but sound a bit angry.  
“We did and I’ll keep my word.”  
“Not “Stark”-small, I meant “normal people”-small.” He replied grumpily. He didn’t want to screw things up, he knew Bucky was stable and the chance that a harmless party would cause some kind of relapse was more than unlikely but he just. Didn’t. Want. To. Risk. It. Was it so hard to understand?  
“Ok, breathe, Caps lock, don’t get all angry over me. It’s just the team, ok? Pepper messed up with my planning and took it in her hands.”  
“Pepper organised the party?”  
“Pretty much, oh Captain, my Captain.”  
Well, that changed the whole thing. “All right then.”  
“Thanks for your trust, by the way. And don’t wonder about all the pop tarts.” He added as Steve opened the top kitchen shelf and found himself facing about twenty packages of pop tarts in every possible flavour.  
“So Thor is coming?”  
“I am already here, my patriotic brother.” A roar behind him sounded and he was suddenly dragged into a hug that made even his bones ache.  
“Can we stop the hugging thing, you visited like last week?” Tony mumbled and let his hand massage his neck, obviously still rumpled by the tight hug of the Asgardian.  
“Ney. Every time our paths cross is a joyful time.”  
“Whatever. Is Jane also coming?”  
“I’m afraid my dearest Jane is not able to attend this very fine party, but she wants me to tell you how deeply sorry she is and send you her “hugs and kisses””  
“Stay away! I’m still human! Go for super-soldier over there.” Tony yelled and blocked another hugging-attempt.  
“Tony!” Pepper’s voice yelled from the hallway all of a sudden.  
“Is that a freaking aquarium?”  
The CEO entered the room, smiled around before focussing her dangerous blinking glance at Tony once again.  
“This is how you spend your money responsibly? How do you even take care of fish, you can hardly take care of yourself? And how do you feed them? The aquarium is literally in the wall?”  
“Don’t worry, they’re fake fish.” Clint had just entered the room, looking like he just woke up from a nap.  
“What the hell are fake fish?”  
“Brother, it’s good to see you.”  
“Hey Thor. No, don’t hug me, I’m scared.”  
Steve looked around and couldn’t help a smile. Bucky would blend just right in.

So the day came and no, he wouldn’t admit that he hardly slept the night (not only because Clint was right and things are getting a bit noisy after the moon rose) and no, he was definitely not nervous or excited and he didn’t eat because he wasn’t hungry, not because of this strange feeling in his stomach.  
Time just didn’t want to go by, Fury assured him that Bucky would arrive at four o clock in the afternoon and he was sitting in the living room really casually, thank you very much, some trash TV playing in the background and when he looked at the clock after half an hour only five minutes had passed and why was it so hot in here?  
Finally his mobile phone rang and as soon as he saw Fury’s name on the display he was on his feet and almost forgot to answer the call.  
“Get your ass out of here, you’re present’s just arrived. We forgot to put a bow on it, I hope you’ll enjoy it nevertheless.”  
“On my way, Sir.”  
He almost ran out of the building and he could swear that JARVIS sounded a bit too amused by his own harsh voice. Why did Tony built a sassy AI to rule them all?  
A small “ding” signalled him that he reached his destination and he exited the elevator, rushing through the entrance hall, stopping briefly, just for a second, before he left the building completely to face a huge black car standing right in front of it that drove away as soon as he was in sight.  
Irritated he watched how it disappeared around the corner.  
Where the heck was –  
“Missed me?”  
He jumped and wheeled around and saw into his best friend’s face just inches away from his.  
“Buck!” he yelled a bit more than a bit over excited and hoped that his embarrassment vanished into the long and tight hug that followed.  
“I’ll take that as a yes. Ok, Stevie, show me that friends of yours. Hope they’re treating you right.”  
“You don’t actually have to protect me; I doubled in height and strength.”  
“I do whatever the fuck I want.”  
Steve smiled as they entered the elevator and couldn’t stop until they reached the communal floors.  
“Ok, so little warning. I already told you they are a bit eccentric.”  
“I already met some of them, I know. Although I tried to beat the shit out of them, I’m still sure we’ll get along.”  
Steve stiffened a bit, a bit uncomfortable with that reference, but Bucky kept on smirking, signalling him that it was all right.  
“Oh, look at that! Guys, put on your best, we’ve got a guest!” Natasha yelled and made them both jump. They absolutely didn’t realize that she was sitting on the sofa, a book in her hand, watching them curiously and a bit calculating.  
Steve knew why. Steve knew Natasha was close to S.H.I.E.L.D. and he was pretty sure she had certain orders from Fury to keep an eye on them. Steve knew that she was one of them who Bucky tried to ‘beat the shit out of’. Steve also knew that she would try and that meant a lot to him.  
“Hey there, I’m Natasha. Better be nice.”  
“I’ll try my best.” Bucky answered firmly and they shook hands. Steve swallowed hard. Footsteps approached.  
“Guest? I ordered Pizza, did it arrive? Oh, shit, it’s just you two.” Clint said disappointedly, blinked confused under the glance Natasha shot him, before a sudden realisation came to his face and he looked at James with big eyes.  
“You’re Bucky.”  
“Yes?” to Steve relief he seemed amused with the situation.  
“Wow, finally “Keeping Up With The Avengers” is complete. Nice to meet you, dude. How’s life?”  
“Suspiciously normal. You must be Clint? Heard you’re a big thing in video games?”  
“Is that a challenge?”  
“Bet your ass on that, I had a lot of time the last months and I heard you got some neat equipment here?”  
“What’s that fuzz about? Is Steve all over the fish again or what’s going on?” Tony appeared in the door frame, coming from his workshop according to his oily sweatpants and tank top.  
“That was just once and they are gosh darn electric fish. Am I the only one who is excited about that?”  
“Electric fish?” Bucky whispered, his forehead wrinkled.  
“Oh, Jesus, how long was I down there? It’s today, isn’t it? Hey there, Jim Abbott, nice to finally meet you. Looks like the humanoids are increasing. Better watch out for that.” He said, tapping his own arc reactor and patting the metal arm of Bucky.  
“I heard Pizza?”  
“Yes, I ordered one.”  
“You ordered one? Greedy bitch, think about you’re fucking teammates for once.”  
“Can’t you behave for once?” Steve asked a bit desperate, eyes avoiding Bucky and his face right now. This wasn’t going how he planned it. Definitely not.  
“I’m in for Pizza.” Bucky simply said. “So you better share or we reorder because I didn’t have Pizza for about 70 years and I’m really angry about that.”  
“You didn’t have Pizza for 70 years? Dude, why did you even return to the living if you didn’t get Pizza?”  
“JARVIS, standard delivery and add James’ favourite.”  
“Who is JARVIS?”  
“I am JARVIS, Mister Barnes. I am an Artificial Intelligence created by Mister Stark to assist you whenever you need me to.”  
Bucky jumped, looking around a bit confused, before muttering: “The future is so fucking confusing.”  
“Don’t worry, Iron arm, JARVIS here is one of a kind. Just say your favourite Pizza after the signal.”  
“I’ll take Hawaii?” he said, obviously not sure who to talk to.  
“Very well. And welcome to the Avengers.”  
“Pizza?” Thor finally appeared in the crowded living room, looking around a bit confused, before spotting Bucky’s face in the crowd and a sudden excitement rushed over his face.  
“My new avenging brother, it’s nice to finally meet you!” he exclaimed, approaching Bucky and pulling him into a hug.  
Steve tried to hold back a laugh as he pulled a confused face and mouthed incomprehensible things towards him that looked awfully lot like “What the fuck?”  
“Ok, nice family meeting, but where’s Banner? He didn’t see our newest pet.” Clint said and watching Natasha from the corner of his eye.  
“He’ll be there in a minute, I already texted him.”  
As if that was the signal they were asking for, Bruce entered the room, smiling a shy smile and approaching Bucky carefully, not as if he was dangerous but more like he wanted to look how he reacted first. As he realised that he didn’t back off, his smile grew a bit more open and he held a hand out to him.  
“Nice to meet you, James.”  
“Please don’t call me James, no one called me that since the early fucking thirties. Bucky is just fine.”  
“All right, Bucky, nice to meet you, then.” Bruce smiled, before backing off and shoving off to Natasha while trying to put his arm around her waist obviously inconspicuously. But Clint noticed, of course.  
“God dammit, get a room. A room far away from my room.”  
“Grow up, Clint, we’re more harmless that Pepper and this moron.”  
“Excuse me? If this refers to the kitchen-incident last week….”  
“Shall I show you the room, then?” Steve asked resigned and Bucky nodded grinningly, following up the stairs.  
“Is that a fucking aquarium in the wall?”  
“Yes. These are the fake fish. No worries.”  
“Fake fish… The future truly is indeed a miraculous world.” Steve snorted.  
“Don’t let Tony hear that.”

“So that went well, didn’t it?” Bucky asked and laid down on his bed as soon as they put the few of his belongings into place.  
“You think so? I thought it was weird and awkward.” Steve grunted and also sat on his own bed, just a few feet away from his friend’s. They had to share a room, Fury’s order, and it was almost frightening how little Steve actually cared. He liked the thought of getting up next to the other man, always have, it was always an intimate moment, something he only shared with his best friend so far and somehow it meant something to him. And the sight of a sleepy Bucky was something he missed in particular. He could fill a hundred sketch books with sketches of sleepy Bucky with his ruffled hair and crusty eyes, confused glance and incomprehensible mumbling and sleepy smiles and how the morning light reflected on his bare skin – gosh, the thoughts he had, the pictures he drew already in his head were definitely not how pictures of one’s best friend should be, weren’t they?  
“No, I like them. A bunch of fucking freaks, I’ll fit right in.”  
“You really think so? If you don’t want to stay here, we can rearrange…”  
“Are you mad? They have robot fish and robot walls and free pizza and besides…”  
Their eyes met for a brief but firm second and Steve felt his heart skip a beat.  
“I’m not leaving your ass. Get used to it.”  
Once again that smile (he secretly called it “Bucky-smile” because it only appeared when he was around or in his mind) forced its way to his face.  
“Right. To kick the mean guy’s ass.”  
“To kick the fucking mean guy’s ass, damn right, Rogers.”  
Clint’s voice sounded through the speakers: “Guys and my dearest Natasha” (Steve smirked because he was pretty sure that she clearly showed Clint how much she disapproved his comments about her love life) “Pizza arrived. Tony, you better come down and pay the guy.”  
He heard a “Fucking mooch” from next door, where Tony’s room was, before a door was slammed.  
“Hungry?”  
“Starving.”

They had a quiet afternoon, as much as you can expect quiet from a bunch of misfits playing video games and eating junk food.  
It was loud, messy and a lot of swearing was involved but Steve never felt so much at home like he felt right now. He had his new family, his new friends and all the people he valued from the bottom of his heart, and there was Bucky, his Bucky, his home, a link to his past and it just felt right to be here, watching them and him losing their minds over something as trivial as Mario Kart.  
It was until Pepper entered the room, looking around a bit confused.  
“Are you kidding me? The party starts in an hour, off you go, get ready.”  
“I AM ready!” Clint busted out, followed by a “Fuck that shit, you got some cheats installed in that extra arm of yours, Barnes?”  
“You have tomato sauce on your forehead, Clint. Anyway, I asked nicely once, I won’t do it a second time.”  
“But Babe, I am winning for once.”  
“You’re second last.”  
“Yes, but for Tony not-losing equals winning.”  
“Shut up.”  
“Fucking make me.”  
“JARVIS, turn out the TV!” Pepper ordered and the screen went black. The team yelled indignantly, but went quiet promptly as they saw Pepper’s expression. “Go to your rooms.”  
“Yes, Ma’am.”  
They all got up, eying Pepper carefully who looked at Tony with crossed arms: “And you better take a shower, how long have you been in the workshop? No, don’t you dare kissing me with that greasy face, go away.”  
Bucky looked at Steve smirking, winking and his heart missed a beat because damn, couldn’t he be a bit more subtle when it came to his charm, he didn’t deserve that. 

“Well, hello handsome, what are you up to?” Bucky asked as Steve exited the bathroom after a long shower, wearing a white shirt that was a bit too tight, a black tie and fitting trousers. He rolled his eyes as an answer but couldn’t help a grin.  
“I thought it was a casual party, you should have told me that the dress code required something more than jeans and a shirt.”  
“It doesn’t, I just…” Steve refused to end the sentence. What did he try to reach with this? Dress to impress? Impress who? Oh, he knew the answer and no, he wouldn’t admit it.  
“You look just fine, Bucky, don’t worry.” He added when he realized that the other man’s glance was still focused expectedly on him.  
“And you still don’t know how to tie a god damn tie, Rogers.” Bucky smirked, got up on his feet and approached him slowly, reaching his hands out and began unknotting it.  
Steve swallowed but accepted it, what else was he supposed to do?, hoping that in the face of the unexpected closeness his best friend wouldn’t notice his suddenly really fast beating heart in his chest, but if it was so, he didn’t let it show, this darn smirk just remained on this rough lips and he felt the sudden urge to make it vanish with really unconventional methods he didn’t want to cross his mind another time.  
Almost disappointed he realised that his knot was almost perfect, which meant that the shorter one would withdraw any second and he really didn’t want him to.  
“You ready?” he asked and the warm breath rushed over his face and made him shiver slightly and wait, he was supposed to ask him that. Instead, he nodded a bit dizzy, felt a pat on his upper arm and the sudden loss of the men’s presence.  
“Let’s party like it’s 1943, then.”  
The taller one just snorted before joining him on his way out.

The room was beautifully decorated and small, but big enough to grant the team plenty of space for anything they wanted to do. Soft tunes of music sounded through the air and some finger food was standing in the corner prepared, a frankly smart move, because a god, a Hulk and two super-soldiers were eating awfully much and Clint himself usually tried his best to keep up with them. Tons of alcohol were arranged on the counter, including some really fancy looking bottles of scotch and Russian vodka that Natasha claimed promptly. Steve eyed the bottles suspiciously, he knew he couldn’t get drunk but he didn’t know about Bucky and also Thor was present and some of the bottles were weirdly shaped and he was almost certain that they contained nothing Midgardian.  
Tony already had a glass of scotch in his hands and raised his glass to them as they entered.  
“Look at that, we’re complete.” He announced and Pepper just shook her head but smiled a little.  
“So, welcome to our new flatmate Bucky, may he survive the madness you all brought to my precious tower!”  
Steve watched Bucky carefully, who smiled and waved winking. After that, almost everyone started their first drink and Thor wouldn’t accept a ‘no’ from his “brother in arms on this joyful night of a blessed gathering” and was handed a golden shimmery fluid. Bucky helped himself generously of anything he could reach, no matter if it was food or alcohol and he watched him, both happy to see him laughing and interacting with his teammates so easily and worried to see him consume in that way because he still wouldn’t want to risk… anything.  
“Don’t look so worried, the wrinkles will ruin that precious face of yours.” His best friend muttered, suddenly right beside him and poured down a shot of Natasha’s liquor she shared more or less willingly.  
“How much are you planning to drink?” gosh, he really sounded like his mother and he didn’t intended to, so he took a sip from his untouched drink as well and the sudden warmth that rose in him wasn’t only about the man standing next to him.  
“I didn’t drink for more than half a century, let me have some fun.” He said a bit sulking but his glance definitely implied some kind of asking for a permission and Steve smiled because he knew he would stop if he actually asked him to but he didn’t want to ruin this night for him, wanted him to have some fun and forget about anything that happened to him, he had sworn to help and protect him and maybe he had to let go once in a while.  
“You’re right, sorry.”  
“You always take so good care of me, I sometimes feel like we’re married.” – Steve coughed violently on the drink he just got in the wrong throat – “But you should get a bit loose as well. Drink up, have fun.”  
“Huh.” Steve just said, his face was burning and he really hoped that he could pin it on the alcohol that was burning inside of him.

It didn’t need an hour to lave all of them smashed and even Steve felt tipsy, watching all his friends doing things around him.  
Natasha and Bruce were lying on the floor, close enough that no one really could tell where one of them began and the other one ended, obviously in the middle of a serious discussion about the Tsardom of Russia and Steve had no idea how they ended up there after so much vodka.  
Clint seemed to have a bet with Tony if he could jump from the table to the couch, which wasn’t the best idea after all since Clint could hardly stand, let alone walk straight but he insisted that he was “a beautiful bird that wouldn’t fail”. Of course he did and he landed on the floor, leaving the rest of the team laughing hysterically while he handed Tony twenty bucks.  
Pepper and Thor were standing on the balcony, looking at the stars and discussing some interesting cloud formations while he and Bucky sat with the rest, close on close, occasionally forming some slurred words and giggling like the pre-schoolers they once were, solely enjoying each other’s company.  
As soon as Clint regained his remaining dignity and tried his best to stand up again (and failing miserably), he proposed the idea to play “Spin the fucking bottle” like the excited child he was and to his amazement almost everyone was head over heels for that idea.  
Even Pepper and Bruce agreed so there was no way out for Steve, especially not after Bucky had silently asked him with his kicked-puppy face (Jesus, what human being slash super soldier could even resist this?) and they all gathered on the floor, forming a crippled circle and Clint put an empty bottle in the middle of it.  
“Hey, mid-nineties, you know the game, right?”  
“Shut up, Barton, or I’ll hit you with my cane. Of course we do.” Bucky replied easily and raised a laugh.  
“Ok, so let’s go for it.” And he spun the bottle. It landed on Tony.  
“Truth or Dare, Stark.”  
“I’m lazy and not sure if I’m still able to stand up straight, so go for the dirty truth.”  
“If you had to pick a guy in this round, who would it be?”  
“Excuse me, girlfriend attending.” Pepper laughed but still looking curious.  
“Bruce” Tony answered without hesitation or any hint of embarrassment and winked to Bruce, who lazily smiled and raised his almost empty glass.  
Clint rolled his eyes.  
“What’s this? Jealous? Sorry but I dig brains and great asses and none of that is your strength.”  
“Excuse you, my ass is amazing.”  
“You’re definitely not in the top three in this room, birdy.”  
“Oh yes, then who is?”  
“Pepper aside, she is definitely number one” – He saw Bucky imitating a gagging and could hardly suppress a laugh – “It’s Bruce, Steve and then Bucky. No offence, Thor, but I don’t dig aliens. Great ass, nevertheless.”  
“Please stop this gay mess, Bruce is definitely getting too comfortable.” Natasha announced, looping her arms around her boyfriend’s torso, not before taking another shot. Bruce grimaced as he tasted the alcoholic flavour on her lips.  
“Ok, next one.” And Tony spun the bottle again and it landed on Natasha.  
“Whatever, give me a dare.”  
“Tell her to use her room for once, it’s miles away from mine.” Clint groaned.  
“Are you mad? It’s next to mine. Nah, chug the rest of the bottle. You’re Russian, shouldn’t be a problem.”  
He was right, it wasn’t a problem and Steve watched her stunningly as she poured down the clear liquid. As soon as the bottle was empty Bucky raised his hand for a respectful high five.  
“My turn” she said as if nothing happened and even Tony, not bad in taking his liquor himself, looked mildly impressed. This time the bottle stopped at Bucky and Steve crossed his arms expectantly, giggling again. Being drunk wasn’t so bad after all.  
“Ok, since you hardly know me and I already know that I could land on Tony (“Only if Bruce and Steve decline!” Pepper cleared her throat), let’s go for truth.”  
“How about telling us a secret from your past back then in Brooklyn. Something even Steve doesn’t know.”  
Well, now Steve was definitely all ears because he was pretty sure that he knew everything concerning Bucky, they had told each other everything back then, but Bucky himself seemed to think real hard, so probably….  
“We were together every fucking day it was really hard to hide anything from him, let me think.” He said slowly and everyone was waiting tensed. Suddenly, he started giggling and took another sip from his drink.  
“Oh fuck, can I pass this round? The only thing I can think about is fucking embarrassing.”  
“You really think we would let it got after we heard the words ‘fucking embarrassing’?” Clint simply replied and Bucky let his head fall back, still smirking.  
Steve eyed him curiously. What was that about? What didn’t he tell him? He had like a hundred awkward stories to tell about this man, I mean, they lived through their puberty together and it would be enough to mention that awful haircut Bucky got in middle school, so what could this be?  
“Fine” he grunted, chugging his drink and pouring in a new whiskey, before he laid back again, seemingly avoiding anyone’s eyes. It was probably the alcohol that loosened his tongue.  
“I had like the biggest fucking crush on Steve in High School, even before he got so huge and muscular. It was so embarrassing and I never told him.” He laughed it off, shrugged and straightened up again.  
Steve couldn’t stop staring at him. Did he get that right? Maybe Tony was right and the ice damaged his ears?  
But the reaction of the other Avengers confirmed that he heard perfectly fine and now he was blinking confused before also chugging his drink. What the hell?  
He felt Bucky’s glance shortly on him but tried his best to ignore it. It’s been years, he told himself, years ago. No need to overthink, no need to over interpret, why did he feel so warm suddenly?  
The demand for the next round barely reached him, a ringing sounded loud and clear in his ears and gosh, could Bucky stop looking at him for once, he couldn’t focus on anything let alone his thoughts.  
Someone in the room told Thor to put his hammer in an elevator to look if it’s worthy and they all got up and tumbling towards the hallway but Steve remained where he was, his knees were too weak to function anyway he thought.  
“Coming, Kiddo?” Bucky asked with a hint of irritation as he looked down to him and Steve avoided his eyes because all the emotions he just held in were something he didn’t know how to handle, especially not when he saw into the familiar warm grey, he wouldn’t guarantee for nothing.  
“Is it about that crush thing? Come on, Steve, it was so obvious I always thought you did notice, come on, don’t be a dick about that. It was years ago.”  
He really didn’t want to say that this was the exact problem about the situation, that there were a lot of “what-if”s in his head right now and that he really liked what could have been.  
“It’s ok, I just… Come on, let’s see if the elevator is worthy.”  
“It’s not and I think we broke the entire building.” Clint announced as the group returned, followed by a grumpy looking Tony and a soothing Pepper.  
“You all right there, lovebirds?”  
They didn’t return to the game, they all just sat there, occasionally saying something, mostly followed by some drunken giggling and soon Thor and Bruce fell asleep and Tony and Pepper were making out while Clint threw little paper balls towards them and Steve watched them, still deep in his thought, still buzzed, still confused and so disappointed and he couldn’t tell why, because it was ridiculous to think “If I had known that 80 years ago” but that’s exactly what was going on in his mind and he just couldn’t help.  
“Mind if we go upstairs? I’m fucking smashed.” Bucky asked and watched him carefully and Steve shrugged before he got up and they left the room in silence, unnoticed by everyone. 

Steve already had brushed his teeth and put on his pyjamas and tried to focus on one point on the ceiling because he was pretty sure the room wasn’t supposed to move around him while Bucky was in the bathroom.  
He should just let go, should be happy to have his best friend back instead of sulking because of something as trivial as this. But something didn’t let him.  
“So what’s the matter, big guy. It was a fun party and you look like someone chopped of your arm.” The other man announced his presence.  
“It’s nothing, Bucky, let’s just sleep.” He replied babbling. He should have known better than being surprised by the sensation of someone sitting down on his bed and he sat up, seeing his best friend’s dizzy but focused eyes resting on him.  
“Sure, I know your handsome face by heart, Stevie, so why don’t you just tell and stop fucking pretending, you’re such a girl sometimes, I swear.”  
He should feel offended but he smiled because he knew that this was just a very weird way to show that Bucky cared about him.  
“I don’t know if I want to talk about it. And even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t know how.”  
“So it’s about that damn crush thing.”  
“No, it’s not.” He lied and Steve knew that Bucky knew it was a lie by the way he raised his eyebrows.  
“Ok, if it makes you feel better, yes, you’re fucking good looking, I’ve known you since forever and shit, the serum made some pretty nice fella out of you but I’m a grown ass man and I know how to handle –“  
He was disrupted because Steve had enough and also it was Bucky’s fault to use this desirable mouth to tell him he was handsome and it was unfair to expect him to stay calm when he was drunk and yes, god darn it, in love, so it was definitely not him to blame, right?  
Bucky seemed to agree because heck, did he actually kissed him back? Like, for real? He had to, because he tasted whiskey on his mouth and he definitely didn’t drink it and the scent of the other man, that terribly familiar smell, was so close, it was everywhere.  
Finally, as the oxygen in their super lungs was wasted, they managed to tear apart, breathless, faced blushed and looking surprised at each other.  
“You…” Bucky started, wrinkled his nose and looked utterly confused.  
“Yeah…” Steve simply agreed because what else could he have said?  
Silence followed this and they still stared at each other.  
“You dick.” Bucky finally seemed to find his voice again and made Steve jump. Oh crumpets, he had screwed up, he knew it, that was a huge mistake and all he could hope for that they both would have forgotten it by tomorrow morning, or blaming all the alcohol, laughing it off.  
“I pined like years for you and you never dropped a fucking hint and now, after I tried to murder you, it finally worked out? What is it with you and your terrible taste in people? Is this what it needs to get you off because lucky me, I’m actually considering to strangle you.”  
For a moment Steve just looked at him startled, then a smile crept on his face as he realized what Bucky just had said, turning into a relieved laugh and he could see the other man’s bewildered expression.  
“That’s it, you’re dead.” He muttered.  
“Be quiet!” Steve laughed, now nearly tearing up.  
“Make me.”  
“As you wish.” And they kissed again.

To be honest he never really knew why everyone assumed that Captain America was a morning person, getting up at 5 am, ready for his daily morning walk. Truth it, he most certainly wasn’t and it wasn’t that unusual that he awoke way past morning, just like today. Grumpily he noticed the sun shining merciless into his room, making everything bright and unbearable. He considered himself lucky to run on some kind of super serum because he wouldn’t have known how to handle a hangover.  
Grunting undignified he stretched, rubbed his forehead and tried to open his eyes again, slowly this time, giving himself some time to adjust to the fact that daylight already was a thing.  
The first thing he noticed was that he was alone in his room and something felt terribly wrong about that but in the dizzy haze of the morning he couldn’t yet tell why. He gave his brain a second try and then it hit him and all of a sudden he felt wide awake, looking around almost in panic.  
Where was Bucky? Bucky. Oh no, Bucky!  
Memories promptly filled his head, streaming through him and he felt both cold and warm. Jesus, they kissed, right? Like legitimately literally kissed, on the mouth, followed by more kissing and then more than kissing. The short excitement and warmth he felt was detached really quickly by other, much less nice emotions. Terror and angst flooded through him – he definitely screwed up, he was so sure, Bucky regretted it and how could he be so stupid to get drunk enough to consider it a good idea to kiss the man he liked more than he cared to admit straight on the mouth just because he conceded that he had a crush on him 80 years ago, that was definitely a new low. And how would he explain to Fury that he was gone and oh wow, his head spun and maybe he was a bit hungover nevertheless.  
The door opened, saving him from his misery, and he just entered the room like nothing ever happened and he felt the relief rushing through his veins.  
“I really hate your noisy friends, how dare they chatting so loud when there are people fucking dead from the last night. Not Tony, I love Tony, he makes a really neat Hangover Smoothie, but I hate his Coffee Machine and his noisy sassy robot.” Bucky mumbled, still wearing his boxers and an oversized shirt and put one coffee on Steve’s night stand while he chugged down his own in one sip.  
“What are you looking like this? Don’t tell me you’re feeling fine. Life is unfair.”  
Steve didn’t replied, he just stared at him, him, sitting on the edge of his bed again, not gone, looking terribly hungover but also terribly adorable and sleepy and there it was again, a picture for his mental sketch book, ready to be brought to paper once he was alone in the safety of his own thoughts.  
“Are you all right, Steve?” he asked after a while of silence, eying him irritated and reaching out for his hand – his actual hand, so last night happened and it was good and not forgotten – and he himself used his other hand to grab the steaming cup, sipping on it and feeling better immediately.  
“I’m more than fine.” He grinned and pressed the rough hand in his, lurking a smile from Bucky’s face that looked just as happy as in the old times.  
“Good, because breakfast slash brunch slash lunch is ready in a bit. Get your cute ass out of the bed, sunshine.”  
When he stood up they exchanged a small kiss before they headed to the kitchen and they both didn’t feel the need to say anything because it just felt natural and how it was supposed to be.

They entered the crowded kitchen and it couldn’t have been clearer that there was a party last night. Tony was wearing sunglasses although the light was dimmed through the curtains and leaned on Pepper, who was on her phone, her eye bags hidden under some layers of makeup. Bruce was half asleep and Natasha carefully took the hot coffee from his hands before it dripped. She seemed fine, together with Thor, who kept on chatting easily, obviously not bothered by the lack of responses.  
Clint had his head in his hands, hair ruffled, a package of aspirin next to him.  
“Good morning.” Steve exclaimed unsure and they all jumped a bit, Pepper actually shushed him.  
But Tony suddenly straightened up and he was sure that he was watching him behind his sunglasses.  
“You two had sex!” he finally said and got back to his previous miserable posture.  
Steve felt a heavy blush, avoiding any eye contact with anyone, feeling every glance in this room resting on them.  
“Shut up, Stark, or I’ll ask JARVIS to play some of the loud music you like.” Bucky replied easily, not even bothered, sitting down on the table, having the nerves to grab Steve’s hand, whose head was empty besides the small voice mumbling “What the hell?” on repeat, and dragging him with him.  
“You wouldn’t dare.”  
“Sir, may I remind you that Mr Barnes here is authorised –“  
“Shut up, I’ll donate you to a community college you disobeying shit.” Tony muttered.  
“Is everyone getting fucking laid except for me? Even Captain Virgin?” Clint’s pitiful hoarse voice sounded muffled behind his hands.  
“Told you your ass isn’t that great.”  
“Fuck you.”  
Steve still felt hot in his face but smiled, watching Bucky next to him with this ridiculous smirk and a fainted hickey hardly hidden under his shirt, helping himself with another cup of coffee and toast. Right, nothing really happened how he imagined things would go. It was so much better.


End file.
